Paella

[Avenafatua]

Ok so I'm from Valencia, Spain as you may know Valencia is the Spanish city where paella is original from and I think some of you are kinda familiar with the paella procedure but I think I really need to start a thread and tell you the way we do it in here. In the cradle of paella. Would anyone be interested in knowing how a local does paella and some tips??

 

[davent]

Ok so I'm from Valencia, Spain as you may know Valencia is the Spanish city where paella is original from and I think some of you are kinda familiar with the paella procedure but I think I really need to start a thread and tell you the way we do it in here. In the cradle of paella. Would anyone be interested in knowing how a local does paella and some tips??

@Avenafatua that would be great! Would love to see/hear first hand how paella is done where it all began. Thanks for the offer! Lot's of pictures.
dave

 

[The Knize]

Yes, please! That would be a real treat and privilege to have Avenafatua!

Before you even get started--and in writing this I admit I have checked to see if you have started a new thread--what type of rice do folks in Valencia actually use? I have heard various things, including that Bomba rice is not much used by the locals, perhaps in part due to expense, but perhaps for other reasons, too. That Valencia rice is better, but takes more skill to use.

Many thanks!

 

[Avenafatua]

Yes, please! That would be a real treat and privilege to have Avenafatua!

Before you even get started--and in writing this I admit I have checked to see if you have started a new thread--what type of rice do folks in Valencia actually use? I have heard various things, including that Bomba rice is not much used by the locals, perhaps in part due to expense, but perhaps for other reasons, too. That Valencia rice is better, but takes more skill to use.

Many thanks!

Hi Knize, luckily tomorrow I'll start a thread about Paella. Wanted to start it today but was too busy at work. Answering your question yes. I would say Bomba rice is not the most used rice about locals or profesional paella restaurants. Bomba rice is a good quality rice don't get me wrong, but Sènia is way better, what happens here is that Bomba is foolproof is super difficult to spoil a paella when using bomba so that's why it's so popular amongst beginners or abroad. Sènia rice is a valencian variety of rice that when you manage to know how it works is THE choice. I would use Sènia most of the time. I also use Bomba specially when I'm using a new pan or when I'm cooking outside my comfort zone by any other reason. Anyhow, Bomba is an easy use rice that gives you a high quality paella. Sènia is a difficult use rice that gives you (when unlocked) the best paella. Thank you for your question I'll make sure I cover this topic on the thread as well.

 

[ackvil]

Hi Knize, luckily tomorrow I'll start a thread about Paella. Wanted to start it today but was too busy at work. Answering your question yes. I would say Bomba rice is not the most used rice about locals or profesional paella restaurants. Bomba rice is a good quality rice don't get me wrong, but Sènia is way better, what happens here is that Bomba is foolproof is super difficult to spoil a paella when using bomba so that's why it's so popular amongst beginners or abroad. Sènia rice is a valencian variety of rice that when you manage to know how it works is THE choice. I would use Sènia most of the time. I also use Bomba specially when I'm using a new pan or when I'm cooking outside my comfort zone by any other reason. Anyhow, Bomba is an easy use rice that gives you a high quality paella. Sènia is a difficult use rice that gives you (when unlocked) the best paella. Thank you for your question I'll make sure I cover this topic on the thread as well.

Can't wait to see your recipe.

 

[Billski]

Ok so I'm from Valencia, Spain as you may know Valencia is the Spanish city where paella is original from and I think some of you are kinda familiar with the paella procedure but I think I really need to start a thread and tell you the way we do it in here. In the cradle of paella. Would anyone be interested in knowing how a local does paella and some tips??

Yes, I would be interested to learn Paella, @Avenafatua

 

[Avenafatua]

So the paella thread is made! Hope you enjoy. Any questions please ask me.

 

[sealer]

I think I have read some things on-line that say it is not an "authentic" paella without chicken and/or rabbit in it. (I am not sure a goal is to have paella exactly the same as inland peasants in Valencia originally prepared it!) But I tend to agree that I could do with less (or even no) chicken and less chorizo than many recipes call for, including, for sure, the ATK grilled paella recipe.

On the other hand, lots and varied seafood seems like a good thing.

There is also reference to snails in authentic paella. Interesting. In Thailand they seemed to have snails in mixed seafood platters. I do not know if these were some kind of water based snails or land based ones as French cuisine seems to use.

The snails for paella are terrestrial ones, traditionally a different specie than the french one (which is also traditionally eaten in Spain).
To my knowledge, paella valenciana was not a dish of the inland peasants, but of the marsh people, fishermen, rice growers etc, and it was done with marsh sourced products (most famous was "water vole" a true delicacy now endangered, rabbit nowadays, and most likely the chicken in the past would be coot as they are quite common in Valencia marshes and there was a big tradition of hunting them on the area. Chicken was a very expensive product in the past).

A few important things that differentiate paella valenciana from other stuffed rices are 1) once the rice is settled on the paella (pan), never touch or stir, 2) the thinner the rice layer, the better, 3) allow it to socarrat

 

[The Knize]

Interesting! The more you know!